The leaves and seeds are widely eaten in Asia.
In Japan, perilla leaves are used as a garnish on raw fish dishes serving the dual purposes of flavoring and as an antidote to possible food poisoning.
Dried leaves are used for many applications in Chinese herbal medicine, including treatment of respiratory conditions (eg, asthma, coughs, colds), as an antispasmodic, to induce sweating, to quell nausea, and to alleviate sunstroke.